New Books in Sociology Shehnaz Haqqani, "Feminism, Tradition and Change in Contemporary Islam: Negotiating Islamic Law and Gender" (Oneworld, 2024)
Dec 13, 2024
Shehnaz Haqqani, an assistant professor at Mercer University and author of "Feminism, Tradition and Change in Contemporary Islam," discusses the evolving landscape of Islamic law and gender. She highlights how certain legal rulings, like child marriage, can be negotiated, while others, such as women's interfaith marriages, face resistance. Haqqani emphasizes the importance of personal agency and the intersection of tradition with modern values, delving into the complexities of gender justice in contemporary Islam.
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Unexpected Path to Islamic Studies
- Shehnaz Haqqani's intellectual journey began when a humanities course challenged her conservative views on Islam.
- This led to a spiritual crisis but ultimately inspired her to pursue Islamic Studies.
Family Disapproval
- Haqqani's family disapproved of her pursuing a Ph.D. in Islamic Studies.
- She persisted partly due to the fear of their disapproval if she quit.
Negotiating Change in Islamic Law
- Understanding how Muslims negotiate change in Islamic law requires examining both classical texts and contemporary views.
- Haqqani's research compares textual sources with interviews to measure this change.
